American Zach Johnson has held off world number-one compatriot Tiger Woods to win the first major golf tournament of the year - The Masters in Augusta, Georgia.
After Woods briefly grabbed the lead early in the final round and made a charge on the back nine, the 31-year-old Johnson made three birdies in a four hole run to finish with a three-under-par 69 Sunday. He ended the tournament with a one-over par score of 289, tying the record for the highest winning score in Masters history.
Woods ended up in a three-way tie for second place - at three-over 291 - with South Africans Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini. American Jerry Kelly and Justin Rose of England were another shot back in a fifth-place tie at 292.
Johnson had failed to make the second round cut in seven of his 11 prior appearances in major tournaments. His only prior win on the PGA Tour came in Atlanta in 2004.
Stuart Appleby, who was trying to become the first Australian to win the Masters, came into the final round with a one-shot lead over Woods and Rose. But he ended the day with a three-over round of 75 to share seventh place (293) with Padraig Harrington, who was trying to become the first Irish player to win a major in 60 years.
Johnson takes home a first-place check of $1.3 million out of a total purse of $7.25 million.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
